2 min read

Accel-a-lonely?

The investor day applause has died and the mentors have all gone home. How to avoid the post-accelerator loneliness.
Accel-a-lonely?
Startup founder standing alone on empty stage, dramatic, cinematic, stage lights, black and white, detailed. #AIart 

Choosing the Startup Path

Choosing the path of a startup founder can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but it can also be a lonely and isolating one. This is particularly true for entrepreneurs who have gone through a startup accelerator, where they have been immersed in an exciting community of like-minded founders, helpful mentors, and interested investors.

But what happens when the accelerator ends? Suddenly, the collective energy and community that were once there to motivate and guide you are gone and you are left to navigate the ups and downs of building your startup on your own. This can be a harrowing experience that can leave many founders feeling lonely and one bad decision away from failure.

Post Accelerator Execution Challenges

Post investor day, startup accelerator graduates must ensure they maintain the momentum and traction that was built during the accelerator program. This involved continuing to network and pitch to customers, investors, and partners while executing your business plan and acheiving key milestones.

New grads will face a variety of challenges in product development, engineering, and technology. Staying in touch with mentors, leveraging resources provided by the accelerator program, and establishing an experienced leadership team for your startup are three immediate options to consider. Many startups may lack the financial resources or work to keep a full-time CTO busy, however, so founders are frequently forced to go it alone, resulting in avoidable mistakes and poor decisions due to inexperience.

A fractional CTO is the partner you need to make the leap from accelerator to successful startup. A fractional CTO is a seasoned tech leader who works on a part-time or project-based basis, providing the same level of expertise and experience as a full-time CTO but at a lower cost and commitment.

Fractional CTOs provide expert advice and support on a range of technical issues. This can include helping a company develop and execute a technical roadmap, providing guidance and execution on hiring and managing engineering teams, and assisting with the development and launch of new products and features. Access to a fractional CTO's professional network is also beneficial as they can facilitate introductions to investors, partners and other technology experts who can assist in growing your business.

Congratulations

This post is dedicated to the recent graduates of startup accelerators (y-combinator, techstars, and others). Congratulations, and welcome to the next phase of a long and exciting journey. Contact us, to discuss how a fractional CTO can help you along the way.